THE DILEMMA OF PRESENT DAY: GUERRILLA, TERRORIST AND ASYMMETRIC WARFARE

Author(s): Jarosław J. Piątek / Language(s): English Issue: 5/2014

In order to describe the environment surrounding us, so complex in terms of relations resulting from using violence, we easily employ terms such as 'partisan' or 'militant', just in order to define the very same ones as terrorists a while later. Probably the benchmark of contemporary description, especially of political action is the lack of clear-cut attitudes. Terrorism is nothing new, and this statement in itself is not very revealing. However, for many contemporary researchers of this issue, there is never too much information. Terrorism has always accompanied the history of oppressive regimes as well as resistance movements and uprisings. All the same, within the anti-colonial insurrectionary movements of the mid-20th century which led to the fall of European colonial empires over a short period of time, terrorism achieved new quality. It should also be emphasized that it achieved considerable political successes compared to the social-revolutionary terrorism of the late 19th century. The attribute 'terrorist' serves as an excluding one in different relations. By employing such term, one that their cause is an unconventional one – leastways as long as specific ways of using violence are applied. On the other hand, groups classified as terrorist ones often describe themselves as partisans who are fighting for the liberation of certain social or ethnic groups and who have to employ “unconventional” methods of using force because of the military superiority of the oppressive regime. By describing certain actions as 'terrorist' one usually intends on bereaving it of every sort of political legitimation. Is there any aspect that terrorism and guerrilla actions have in common? In certain socio-revolutionary or ethno-separatist strategies of violence, the concept of terrorism consists in the idea of a 'starter' which is to create the conditions to commence the guerrilla war. There could also be groups acting as partisans on one front line, and as terrorists on the other. The example is Al-Qaeda: in Central Asia its network operated only temporarily, as a kind of guerrilla, while in the global scale it employed terrorist strategy.

Ефимерността на италианските „републики сестри“ и техният пряк наследник Италианската република в периода (1796 – 1804 г.)

Author(s): Emil Dokov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

The French Republic supported the spread of republican principles in Europe, but most of these sister republics became a means of controlling occupied lands through a mix of French and local power as client states. This article aims to analyze the outcome of the revolutionary triennium (1796 – 1799), when as a result of the French conquest of the peninsula some republics were established.

Дагнослав Демски, Лиизи Лайнесте, Камила Бараниецка-Олшевска. Войната е от значение. Конструиране на образите на Другия (30–50-те години на ХХ век). Будапеща, 2015

Author(s): Petia Bankova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 3/2017

Встъпление

Author(s): Nikolai Vukov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2018

Детският труд и неговата наказателноправна уредба

Author(s): Nadezhda Krasteva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2019

The study is dedicated to the tough fight against child labor and upcoming 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the ILO Convention No. 182 on the worst forms of child labor. The study pays attention to the importance and contribution of this Convention in limiting the worst forms of child labor. In details are examined some of the worst forms of child labor with the attention to the criminal law protection of the child against the child trafficking, trafficking in children, sexual exploitation of children, child pornography and others in the sense of Bulgarian law. Through this study, the author concludes that Bulgarian criminal legislation is taking care and measures to deal with this growing problem in the conditions of a global economic crisis.

THE ALEVI / ALAWITE FACTOR IN TURKEY - SYRIA RELATIONS IN THE LIGHT OF THE SYRIAN CRISIS

Author(s): Mkrtich Karapetyan / Language(s): English Issue: 3/2018

The Syrian civil war exacerbated sectarian divisions between the Alawite-ruled Syrian government and Syria’s Sunni population, straining also the relations between the Sunni majority and Alawite and Alevi minorities of the neighboring Turkey. The Alawites and Alevis of Turkey were predominantly supporting Syria’s president Bashar al-Asad, while the Turkish government greatly supported the Sunni insurgents of Syria. The paper aims at examining how Alawites and Alevis have influenced the relations between Turkey and Syria in the light of the Syrian civil war, the reasons behind the sympathy of Alevis for the Syrian government and the implications that Turkey’s Syria policy has had domestically. It finds that the Alevi / Alawite factor has had some restraining effects on Turkey’s antagonistic policy towards Syria. In the introductory part, the article touches upon the differences and the similarities between Alevis and Alawites, then it analyzes the developments in regards Turkey’s policy towards the Syrian crisis that were also reflected in Ankara’s domestic policy vis-à-vis its Alevi and Alawite minorities.

МеДиалог: медиите като логос и диалог?

Author(s): Ventsislav Dimov / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 1/2017

The introductory article of the first issue of 'Medialog' journal presents the new academic journal, part of a new media culture portal. 'Medialog' is a journey into the media worlds. 'Medialog' is an invitation to dialogue addressed to academic researchers and university lecturers, PhD students and students; to all who are curious to understand something more and different about media, communications and culture.

EXPLAINING PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR THE LAW ON THE USE OF LANGUAGES IN MACEDONIA

Author(s): Josipa Rizankoska,Jasmina Trajkoska / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

This article aims to explain citizens’ support for the Law on the Use of Languages (LUL) through their demographic characteristics, political participation, party affiliation and ethnic belonging. We base this article on an empirical ordered logistic regression models using an original database of 669 Macedonian respondents. We compare the support of Macedonian public for the LUL with the support for the general idea of promotion of the use of the languages of the non-majority ethnic communities in Macedonia. We argue that both the support for promotion of minority languages in Macedonia, as well as the support for this concrete Law depends mainly on citizens’ ethnicity and party affiliation. We find statistically significant opposition for the LUL among the ethnic Macedonians, the (Macedonian / mainstream) opposition parties, the participants in the so called ‘For a Shared Macedonia’ initiative, and those whose mother tongue is a minority language other than the Albanian.

THE REFUGEE CRISIS, BREXIT AND THE RISE OF POPULISM: MAJOR OBSTACLES TO THE EUROPEAN INTEGRATION PROCESS

Author(s): Valeri Modebadze / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

This article describes the main challenges that the European Union is facing over the last years. It also analyzes the European Integration process and the emergence of the European Union. European integration process began after the Second World War. European politicians realized that “the old continent”, which was destroyed and razed to the ground, needed unification in order to play more important role in the bipolar international system. The European integration was a step by step process, which reached its culmination after signing the Maastricht Treaty in 1992, when the European Union was formally established. The European Union created very favorable ground for free movement of people, goods, services and capital within the internal market. Despite these positive developments, new threats emerged over the last years that can put an end to the European integration process. From these threats and challenges, particular attention is dedicated to Britain’s exit from the European Union (Brexit), rise of radicalism and populist parties, migration crisis and a heightened terrorism threat.

NEO-OTTOMANISM IN TURKEY'S FOREIGN POLICY: A POLISH PERSPECTIVE

Author(s): Artur Adamczyk,Goran Ilik / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2019

The main objective of this article is to analyze the impact of Ankara’s reference to the legacy of the Ottoman Empire on contemporary Turkish foreign policy and the attitude of Poland towards such a reversal in Turkish diplomacy. Turkey is now more aware that it has no chance of gaining European Union membership. In this situation, Ankara has begun to emphasize its Eurasian character and is trying to build its influence in the region, in particular among eastern and southern neighbors. To have a greater impact on its neighbors, Turkey refers to the legacy of the Ottoman Empire. The weakening of Ankara's political relations with the western world is particularly worrisome for Poland, which appreciates Turkey's geostrategic position and its role in the European security system. The greatest concern among Poles is caused by the political and economic rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow. What also disturbs Poles is the fact that Turkey, which had made pro-democratic efforts, is departing from the principles fundamental to Europeans.

Пътеводител на антропологическия стопаджия

Author(s): Zhana Popova / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 5/2019

A review of Ivaylo Dichev’s book „Cultural scenes of the political”

(RE)SHAPING POLITICAL CULTURE AND PARTICIPATION THROUGH SOCIAL NETWORKS

Author(s): Marija Andreeva / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

The influence of social networks is growing intensely. They do not only influence only certain aspects of our lives, but they also influence political participation and political culture. In recent years, this influence has been very notable. We have seen a change of policies as a result of pressure, a lot of significant political movements started via social networks. This paper concentrates on the influence of social networks on political participation and political culture. The paper tries to foresee the future implications and the intertwining of social networks and political culture and political participation. It also gives conclusions for the past, present and future implications and it gives a comparison between political participation before and after the rise of social networks. It also analyses the positive and negative implications that social network could have on political participation.

DIFFERENT SCENARIOS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION’S AGENDA 2030

Author(s): Goran Bandov,Nikolina Herceg Kolman / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2019

This article examines the potential for implementation of Agenda 2030 in the EU. In the first part, the article outlines how the EU shifted and adapted its policy framework after the adoption of the Agenda 2030. In the second part, it analyzes the role of governance for the implementation of the Agenda and possible scenarios for the implementation of the Agenda 2030 in the EU. In the final part, the article examines scenarios for the future of the EU, as defined in the White Paper for the Future of Europe in 2017, concluding that comprehensive implementation of the Agenda is possible only under the scenario in which all EU member states do much more together, but with an important caveat.

FASHIONABLE POLITICS: HOW ITALIAN LEADERS TRANSFORM INTO SUCCESSFUL BRANDS IN CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATION

Author(s): Daniele Battista / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

Political communication is inherently intertwined with social dynamics and cannot be considered a separate field of study. Symbolic elements, slogans, and the leadership of political figures have permeated human history, influencing and often determining political action. This study has analyzed the phenomenon of personalization as compelling evidence in the field of contemporary political communication. The analysis is based on a study of Italian cases, aiming to provide an in-depth insight into the strategies adopted by political parties to personalize their leaders’ image and engage voters. In particular, the focus has primarily been on party symbols incorporating the leader’s name. The research was conducted to identify party personalization mechanisms and their impact on public opinion. The result highlighted the role of political communication in asserting the individual as a brand at the expense of the party organization, with significant implications for democracy and political participation.

Войната в Украйна и сътрудничеството между Япония и НАТО: японската перспектива

Author(s): Boryana Miteva / Language(s): Bulgarian Issue: 2s/2024

During 2023 NATO Vilnius Summit Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that “no other partner is closer to NATO than Japan”. Indeed, Japan and NATO have a long history of interaction. The war in Ukraine significantly changed global security environment. This new challenge had an impact on the relationship between NATO and its Indo-Pacific partners, including Japan. NATO last two summits in Madrid and Vilnius were important not only for the European security, but for Indo-Pacific as well. This study aims to analyze how the war in Ukraine affects Japan-NATO relations, and what is the future of their cooperation and NATO‘s role in the Indo-Pacific region.

Maritime Security: The Pillar of India’s IPOI in Southeast Asia and Its Implications for Vietnam

Author(s): Cuong Pham / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

This article analyses the maritime security pillar of India’s Indo-Pacific Outlook Initiative (IPOI) in Southeast Asia and its far-reaching impact on Vietnam. The study utilizes the analytical framework of neorealism, liberalism, and constructivism to examine the objectives and intentions of India’s IPOI and ASEAN’s AOIP in the context of strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. The author’s findings reveal a significant convergence of strategic interests between IPOI and AOIP, which brings numerous and tremendous benefits to Vietnam, such as fostering the Vietnam-India comprehensive strategic partnership and equipping Vietnam to tackle challenges from the rise of China. The rise of China, strategic competition among major powers, and the increasing significance of the Indo-Pacific have spurred India and ASEAN to develop their visions to adapt to the Indo-Pacific concept. However, the implementation of IPOI in Southeast Asia still faces several limitations, primarily due to the divergent understanding and goals of IPOI, which places a premium on maritime security, and AOIP, which is more focused on naval cooperation. Furthermore, differences in the perceptions of India and ASEAN on maritime security also contribute to these limitations, highlighting the need for further research and development.

The Changing Conceptual Landscape of the Russian War in Ukraine (2014-Present) and Syria (2011-Present)

Author(s): Piotr Pietrzak / Language(s): English Issue: 2/2024

The main goal of this paper is to present and compare the main developments in the Russian wars in Ukraine and Syria by considering the main patterns, parallels, and changing trajectories that could shed more light onto both of these war zones, which are highly interlinked due to Russia’s leading role in both. It analytically, comparatively, and contemplatively approaches those developments by highlighting multiple similarities and the main differences in global responses to these conflicts. Both conflicts should be seen as highly unpredictable, dynamic, and unnecessarily extended asymmetric proxy wars in which global powers test their new military doctrines and their competitors' responses to their unconventional actions and other unsolicited and indirect interferences in the local dynamism of both wars. Unlike in Syria, the Ukrainian war zone is wholly transformative and ready for the adoption of partial hybridization and the utilization of the new software-defined warfare in combination with conventional weapons.

Wstęp

Author(s): Helena Wyligała / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1/2024

THE PSYCHO-POLITICAL AND STRATEGIC CAUSES AND RAMIFICATIONS OF THE 2023–2024 ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN WAR: A CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE

Author(s): Amal Jamal / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

The following analysis of the Israeli-Palestinian war, which erupted on October 7th, 2023, contributes to explaining its causes, reasoning, consequences, and the necessary measures to end human suffering caused by it. It is argued that to understand its eruption, unfolding, and ramifications, we must look at the broader interplay between local, regional, and international factors. This integrative approach means that it iscrucial to explore the context that has fed its flames and determined its timing and brutality. This means that it is not possible to disconnect this war from profound developments in Israeli and Palestinian societies in the last couple of decades. It also means that although this war was instigated by a particular player, it is an integral component of a system composed of a balance of power between multiple players. Therefore, it resulted from polarity in a regional and international system of power in which players have sought to either maintain the status quo or change it to their advantage. Such an understanding enables us to highlight its strategic meaning and emphasize the moral measures that international players must take to avoid further Israeli-Palestinian wars in the future.

TURKISH FOREIGN POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST: EVOLUTION AND TRANSFORMATION

Author(s): İlter Turan / Language(s): English Issue: 1/2024

After its founding, the Turkish Republic kept its distance from Arab affairs. During the interwar period, Türkiye worked to develop its own national identity while maintaining a balance between imperialist and revisionist powers. After WWII, Türkiye, threatened by Soviets, joined NATO whereas the newly independent Middle Eastern states viewed Russia as an anti-colonialist friend. The coming of détente and changes in Turkish economic policy toward export-led growth, guided Türkiye to develop closer economic relations with its neighbors. Its clear foreign policy rule, however, was not getting involved in the politics of any Arab country or in inter-Arab matters. The Arab Spring led the religiously oriented AKP to judge that Türkiye could lead Sunni-majority countries. Facing total failure, Türkiye is trying to restore former relations with regional countries but lacking trust, this is a slow and only partially successful process.